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Nymphing Class – Focus on Tight Line Techniques

Saturday, February 15, 2025, 0900 Encinitas Community Park

The class is expected to last approximately 90 minutes.  Participants should bring a folding/lawn chair and something to take notes with if desired.

As a bonus, Mark will provide a short on the water review during the Bishop trip for class participants.

The cost of the class will be $50 payable upon registration on the GSF web site. 

Questions can be directed to Mark Utter, markdutter@outlook.com, 858-539-9415.

Why Tight Line Nymphing?

• More control vs other techniques
• All techniques have their application

Equipment

Rod

• Can use any rod
  • Some prefer fast action rods
• 10 ft plus helpful
• Euro/tight line designed rods can be helpful

   

• Rigging
• Line
  • My preference is ~ 8lb green mono
• Sighter
  • My preference is bi-color, ~ 2x/8.5lb, ~ 18”, tippet rings on both ends
• Leader
  • I usually use total of ~6ft straight 5X flouro
• One or two flies
  • I usually use two flies
  • First section of leader ~ 4 ft
  • Attach bottom section of ~2 ft with triple surgeon’s knot

Flies

• Presentation more important than flies
• Heavier better when learning
• Guide flies
  • Hot spots

Presentation Techniques

Covering the water

• Near to far
• Shallow to deep
• Back to front
• Grid approach
  • 2-3 “good drifts” through one lane/lie then move on

Casting

• Be intentional
  • Look where you want flies to land
• Crisp casting strokes
• Finish high
  • Tuck cast
• Standard cast is one rod length out and two rod lengths upstream

Drift

• Lead the sighter through one current seam
• Normally want the bottom fly 6-12” off the bottom
• Tighter better when learning
  • Heavy flies help
  • Some prefer slight sag in sighter
  • Subtle strikes usually only visual
  • If the sighter behaves differently in any way, SET!
  • “Practice/Learn” drift with very bright flies

  Strike

• Downstream strike
• End every drift with a strike to begin next cast

   

  Fighting fish

• After set, flip rod upstream
• Butt end of rod 5-10% toward fish for max pressure
• Lift tip to get line off water if large fish makes long run in heavy water
• Stay down steam of fish, particularly big fish
• Keep fish in middle of water column
  • Problems occur at top and bottom of column
• When fish is ready, lift its head, slide across surface, make an “X” to net

   

  Indicators

• Indy and flies in same lane
• Indy should be moving slower than bubble line

   

• Mend by lifting line first
  • Get as much of line off water as possible
  • Gently roll line without moving indy
• Other principles the same as tight lining

   

   

   

  Resources

• Troutbitten.com
• Tacticalflyfisher.com